February 2013

Ball to close Elgin plant

Ball Corp. announced that it will cease production at the company’s Elgin, Ill., food and aerosol packaging manufacturing plant in December 2013. The plant’s customers will be supplied by other Ball facilities.

“Closing Elgin reduces capacity and, coupled with other changes within our manufacturing system, will enable us to maximize value in our existing business by supplying customers from a consolidated asset base and redistributing some manufacturing operations within our system,” said Michael Feldser, COO of Ball’s global metal food and household products packaging business.

The Elgin plant produces aerosol and specialty steel cans as well as flat steel sheet used by other Ball food and household products packaging facilities. The plant’s 245 employees will be provided benefits, including outplacement and severance pay, in accordance with company policies and the effects bargaining process. Elgin employees can apply for open positions within Ball.

Ball will report an after-tax charge of approximately $21 million for this closure, the majority of which will be recorded in 2013.